American Mirror

Experimental Children In Eve's Garden

It wasn't an obvious thing for me to consider, but the thought was persistent. Perhaps that was the best God could do at the time. I don't remember when I first received this Impression or how many times I received it before it became part of what I knew and understood. Early on it annoyed me; for any implication that God could can be insufficient and less than an infallible God was more that I believed I could safely entertain. Besides, I was ambivalent about the source. When I chose to assert divine revelation, I experienced too much anxiety to... Read more →

God, Jesus, Easter Sunday, and The Religion Of Human Sacrifice.

Can I be a good Christian if I don't embrace the belief that Jesus Christ was sent to Earth in human form by His Father, The Creator We Call God, to suffer and die for the sins of man? To be sure, I am a Christian. But I know that this is not an easy question for most Christians. For some Christians it isn't even a safe question. Many, perhaps most, traditional, conservative, fundamentalist, and other stereotypical Christians would say unequivocally that I am not a good Christian if I don't believe Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice for the... Read more →

The Arrogance Of Religious Superiority And The Insanity Of Religious Intolerance.

Why do the people rage and imagine vain things? Every God-Of-Creation based religion purports to explain the creation of our universe. And each religion define behaviors they believe are dictated by the God of their religion. All God-Of-Creation based religions claim unconditional knowledge of The Creator, by whatever name they call Him, and definitive knowledge of The Creator's laws, regulations, policies, by-laws, and procedures for every human behavior imaginable. Religious laws include, but are not limited to: what to wear and when to wear it; when to dance and where, why, or what dance is forbidden; what to eat, when... Read more →

What Is A Good Religion?

Which religions are good religions? If you have ever wondered or haven't learned, be assured that there are in many cultures and in many religions a curious blend of similar stories about creation, the Creator, and The Creator's relationship with human beings. Many cultures have a punishment by flood as well as stories about mortal women giving birth to the sons of gods. The Impression we receive is that every human being will hear Creation's primordial song--at least once. We cannot avoid hearing it. It is a primordial song with a complex melody and a constant refrain. The Impression we... Read more →

The Suicidal Absurdity Of Violence and War In Eve's Garden

Except for tyrants, self-proclaimed demigods, war profiteers, and the corporate bane of humankind that is the military industrial complex, war makes no humanly logical sense. Civil war, even for tyrants and corporate war profiteers in the military industrial complex, makes even less sense because a house divided against itself cannot not long endure or survive. Yet civil war is much more prevalent than any semblance of the global conflict we call world war. This fact alone, though there are numerous others, are clear indications that the human life we claim to value so highly will eventually come to an an... Read more →

What Is The Advantage of Intimacy In A Symbiotic Relationship With God?

Not all who claim God share a symbiotic relationship with God. Lacking the intimacy of a symbiotic relationship with God they do not earn their share of the wealth that Symbiotic Grace offers. Still, lest we ignore the obvious, even without symbiotic intimacy, Creation allows us to live and reap the trappings of success even when we do not serve the experimental purpose of our creation. We may reap all the wealth, success, fame, and power from the political and social environments we can earn, borrow, commandeer, or steal. God does not interfere. Nevertheless, if you live a life that... Read more →

A Symbiotic Contract With Our Symbiotic God.

One of the many characteristics of human beings is our obsession with the quid pro quo. What's in it for me? If I do this for you, what will you do for me? Many people want to take the same position with God. "All right, God," some would say. "If I buy into these so-called Simple Realities, what do I have to give up? What's in it for me? It may be a fair question. We can make numerous observations that justify the statement that one does not have to be an obvious intimate of God to be successful, rich,... Read more →

Giving Power To Our Prayers And Our Communion With God.

If Creation has established and sanctioned prayer as a way to talk to Him, worship Him, and to have communion with Him, then it follows that God hears our prayers. God is especially receptive to prayers that ask Him to be the guiding force in our lives. He is especially open to prayers that serve His Will. He will hear our supplications to help better define our relationship with Him. God always hears those who share a symbiotic relationship with Him. Sometimes He is wont to act on His Symbiont's behalf. If He does not, it does not mean that... Read more →

Rules For Keeping Your Prayers Out Of God's Junk Mail File.

We affirm that every one of God's children has a God Given Right to pray to God for any reason. Still, some conditions must be met if we don't want our prayers to end up in a God's slush pile or junk mail file. This is true for all of His children, even His most intimate Symbionts. Fortunately the List is very short. 1. Do not ask God to give you power over another human being's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of a healthy moral happiness. Just as God will not serve as a talisman through which we... Read more →

God Wants You To Be Happy But Will Not Compete With Evil For Your Allegiance.

Real Christians must always be aware that the sources of evil also want the servants of evil to be happy. Theirs, too, is a relationship of faith. If the sources of evil reward behavior that alienate us from God, many people will repeat those behaviors. It is one of the products of the flaw in our human design that too many of God's children fail to overcome. Destructive self-serving thoughts borne of sin and evil intent, and the decadent behavior borne of those thoughts, widen the gulf between us and God. It also moves us closer to earthly beliefs, politics,... Read more →

Is There Real Power In Prayer

Questions about the power of prayer can create ambivalence even in people of the faith. On the one hand, some believe God answers prayers, but that God answer prayers conditionally; that God does not answer prayers that are not appropriate for the supplicant; and that God will not answer prayers where God's Will demands an outcome that is different from the request of the supplicant. On the other hand, some members of the faith believe that God gave us free will and as a rule does not interfere in our lives outside of special circumstances that require His Influence that... Read more →

Does Anyone Hear Prayer

Does anyone hear prayer? Critics are plentiful on both sides of the question. Critics outside "the faith" perceive it as a legitimate question worth repeating. Critics who garner strength and feel protected by "their (my) faith" see the question as nothing short of blasphemy. The question, however, has implications for three supplementary interrogatories. 1. When we pray, are we praying to a real God? Is anyone there to hear our prayers. Does god exists? Is God real? 2. If God is real and if God exists as a concrete part of our human existence, does He hear and listen to... Read more →